If you've purchased an indie title this month, give yourself a pat on the back for supporting the arts. Independent authors provide a rich diversity of talent and an unbelievable value to the reader. But beyond buying an author's book, there are five ways you can support a writer that cost absolutely nothing but go a long way toward helping to foster their potential.
5. Forward their press
Whether it is a tweet, post, or status message, someone who follows you might be interested. Retweeting or sharing a post only takes a second but could mean connecting a potential reader with an author they'll love.
4. Tell a friend
If you like someone's work, there's no better way than word of mouth to promote their cause. Even if you haven't read the specific book yet, your comment can inform someone of the book's availability. And, of course, if you have read the book, let others know you liked it. Indie authors don't have large publicity budgets and rely on personal connections more than anything else for promotion.
3. Tag and "like" their book on the bookseller's site
At the bottom of a book's page on Amazon, there are check boxes to tag a book. When you check one, it strengthens the association between the book and that category. So, when someone else searches on the category, books with more tags appear higher in the search results. This increases exposure for the work.
When you "like" a book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, it adds a message on your Facebook newsfeed and is good promotion for the title.
2. Add the author's book to your To-Be-Read pile on Goodreads
All of your Goodreads followers get a glimpse of the cover and can see that you added it. Plus, it increases the number of people associated with the book which can garner interest in the title.
1. Write a review
Often if your intention is to write a review, an author will provide you with a free copy of the book. Whether on a blog or on a bookseller's site, reviews help authors sell more books and are greatly appreciated.
What do you think readers? What are some ways you support your favorite authors, even after you've bought their books?
